TL;DR
- Fortnite earned Breakthrough Game honors while Ninja dominated streaming categories
- Astralis and Cloud9 claimed top team and organization awards respectively
- Blizzard secured three major awards including Publisher and Game of the Year
- Voting system combined 25% community input with 75% expert panel decisions
- Event recorded 3.3 million fan votes highlighting massive community engagement
The third annual Esports Awards ceremony in London spotlighted industry excellence across 22 competitive categories, drawing attention to both established champions and emerging talent in the gaming ecosystem.
This prestigious gathering celebrated exceptional achievements throughout the esports landscape, bringing together professionals, players, and community representatives to honor outstanding contributions to competitive gaming.
A sophisticated voting mechanism determined winners, blending community sentiment with expert evaluation—25% of decisions came from public votes while 75% originated from the official judging panel. The 2018 edition witnessed unprecedented engagement with 3.3 million fan submissions, indicating massive growth in audience participation compared to previous years.
Fnatic’s League of Legends prodigy Gabriël “Bwipo” Rau captured Esports PC Rookie of the Year following his explosive debut season with Europe’s premier competitive organization.
Counter-Strike legend Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev earned Esports PC Player of the Year recognition, while FIFA eWorld Champion Mosaad “Msdossary” Aldossary claimed Console Player of the Year honors for his dominant performance.
Tyler “Ninja” Blevins achieved dual victory, securing both Streamer of the Year and Esports Personality of the Year awards. His strategic content creation approach and consistent high-level gameplay set new standards for professional streaming.
Epic Games’ Fortnite received Esports Breakthrough Game of the Year, acknowledging its rapid ascent in competitive gaming and innovative battle royale format that revolutionized the esports landscape.
Blizzard Entertainment emerged as a dominant force with three major awards: Esports Publisher of the Year, Esports Game of the Year for Overwatch, and Esports Live Event of the Year for the Overwatch League grand final. This triple victory demonstrated Blizzard’s comprehensive impact across multiple competitive gaming dimensions.
The Overwatch League championship event set new benchmarks for production quality and audience engagement, establishing templates for future esports tournaments seeking mainstream recognition.
Danish powerhouse Astralis claimed Esports Team of the Year for their formidable Counter-Strike: Global Offensive roster. Their recent championship victory at IEM Chicago combined with reigning major champion status solidified their position as the world’s premier competitive team.
North American organization Cloud9 earned Esports Organization of the Year following an exceptionally successful 2018 campaign that included championship titles across Rocket League, Overwatch, and CS:GO competitive circuits.
Astralis demonstrated strategic excellence through meticulous preparation and innovative in-game tactics, while Cloud9 showcased organizational strength through diversified success across multiple gaming titles and disciplined team management.
The 2018 Esports Awards highlighted significant industry trends, including the rise of battle royale competitions, increased streaming influence, and publisher-driven competitive ecosystems that are shaping the future of professional gaming.
Strategic voting patterns revealed growing sophistication in award selection, with expert panels emphasizing long-term impact while community votes reflected immediate popularity and engagement metrics.
For aspiring competitors and organizations, these awards provide valuable benchmarks for success measurement and strategic planning. Understanding the criteria that led to these recognitions can inform future competitive approaches and organizational development strategies.
The distribution of awards across different gaming genres and platforms indicates healthy diversification within the esports ecosystem, suggesting continued growth opportunities across multiple competitive gaming segments.
Action Checklist
- Analyze award-winning team strategies and apply similar competitive frameworks
- Study voting patterns to understand what qualities industry experts and communities value most
- Develop cross-platform competitive presence following Cloud9’s organizational model
- Create content strategy based on Ninja’s dual-award winning approach
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Astralis, s1mple, Ninja among Esports Awards winners Comprehensive breakdown of 2018 Esports Awards winners with strategic insights and industry analysis